Saudi's withdrawal from Mardis meant that from then on, this No Man's Land would temporarily fall under the administration of the Federation.

A day after the performance had ended, people were still so immersed in the joyous revelry that they couldn't extricate themselves. But starting the next day, the city returned to its former tranquility. People always seemed to bounce back quickly from the ravages of war, sprouting like bamboo after rain with vibrant vitality…

In the streets and alleys, people were laughing and talking as if the war between the Federation and Saudi had nothing to do with them. Their resilience was far greater than Feng Yi had imagined.

Indeed, compared to ordinary people, these locals, accustomed to the smoke and fire of war, had long since evolved an optimistic mentality suited to survival in these parts. They had learned to find joy amidst hardship. And there were those who had been surrounded by gunfire and smoke from birth, who would feel uneasy if they didn't hear the sounds of shots being fired over a long period…

Although Athena had returned to the Capital Planet, through this performance, hundreds of thousands of commoners had been gathered, including homeless refugees, resistance forces that continuously opposed the empire, and even a small number of Looters.

The number of hundreds of thousands wasn't particularly large nor small. Perhaps more people were still observing and waiting, but without a doubt, to assemble such a population required a substantial amount of resources.

In order to earn their keep, many residents from nearby towns came to this relief team dispatched by the Federation. With their hands and effort, sweat and toil, they aimed to earn their first pot of gold as residents, rather than continue to be exploited and squeezed by the empire, living a life with belts tightened like slaves, struggling desperately on the edge of poverty...

Of course, during this period of rest and reorganization, the soldiers were free to go out, shop, and do whatever they wanted with their position allowance: eat at a restaurant or find a prostitute. Nobody could intervene. The only command from Feng Yi was to remember to trade fairly, not to take even a needle or a thread from the people, with the disobedient to be discharged from the military and severely punished.

Even though the law seemed pale and powerless in this No Man's Land, it was the class distinctions under the empire's system of slavery that were unbearable. The severity towards imperial citizens and the lack of any human rights for the lower class—none of these things were acceptable to Feng Yi.

This order actually didn't need to be reiterated by Feng Yi. As the former resistance of Mardis, everyone was fighting so hard precisely because of the iron rule of causing no harm to the common folk. Those space pirates from outside the domain, once dreaded phantoms spat upon for having no human rights, were now honored Federal soldiers, active-duty military members who could walk tall. This new life was hard-won and therefore held dear; they were not about to dishonor themselves. Upon receiving their orders, the soldiers didn't think twice and rushed to the restaurants...

Granted, the fleet's mess hall food wasn't bad, but compared to the local specialities, there was no competition. Plus, coming out in the open provided a significant degree of freedom from constraints. Now, the brothers were just worried about not being able to spend their position allowances in full.

Now it was perfect. Due to the lower standard of living and cheap prices, the soldiers didn't know how to spend their position allowances once they went out. You could imagine that a day's position allowance could be enough to patronize a local speciality bar, treat a few mates, and have a pretty girl for company. Maybe even add on a few boxes of cigarettes at such low consumer price levels—a situation that these straightforward soldiers were quite unaccustomed to.

But it only lasted a few short hours. A few hours later, a strong shopping frenzy erupted in this town known as Ob. Upon hearing the news, merchants from distant towns flocked to Ob come the next dawn. For the first time, there was a shortage in the supply of local alcohol due to the overwhelming demand.

On the streets, you could see the soldiers of the Blazing Flame Legion slinging their arms around each other's shoulders as they walked side by side... Even John, the second-in-command, had taken off his shirt, bare-chested, and proudly leading the formation. Damn, he had never entered or left this small town so openly before.

You could say during their training they were fierce as wolves and tigers, with rigorous military postures, standing straight as javelins, but during their downtime, they could be as shapeless as mud, unable to stand firm on the wall. Yet this was the current state of the Blazing Flame Legion, a feared gang with absolute execution power.

Perhaps while on the Capital Planet, they had some restraint, as it was after all the Capital Planet where one must maintain appearances, and these foolish gentlemen all had a sense of propriety. But in Mardis, things were different. Compared to the empire's soldiers, their straightforward and informal behavior was actually their most authentic side.

"Hey! These guys, just after a beating and you don't even know where they've floated off to." Feng Yi shook his head and sighed lightly. Just getting out of bed and stepping out of the warship, he saw a group of soldiers laughing and chatting as they headed towards the city. When they saw Feng Yi, they covered their ears and quickened their pace as if they were thieves caught in the act, afraid of getting a verbal scolding from Feng Yi and pretending not to hear.

Heh, there was some spare time—maybe it would be better to get some fresh air too? With a somewhat bored mood, Feng Yi quickly followed behind the few soldiers from earlier.

At first, no one noticed. But it wasn't long before the soldiers spotted a suspicious figure. That female soldier, with sharp eyes, cried out that it was the legion commander, resulting in the lot making a break for it again...

How could they possibly outpace Feng Yi? They wondered if the legion commander was playing a joke on them?

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